- Jewish Rome - Did you know that Rome, which was the capital of the Roman Empire and is the seat of Papacy, is also home to the oldest Jewish community in Europe? It is a fact that a number of Jews lived in Rome as early as the 2nd Century B.C. Visiting Jewish Rome will help  to picture the history of this long-standing community and its strong, if often tumultuous, relationship with the Roman emperors and, later, with Christianity. The Ghetto of Rome stands over the initial nucleus of what was to be the City of Rome - something that is largely ignored even in Italy. The Portico di Ottavia, for example, dates back to the time of Ancient Rome. The Ghetto is of course a must for anyone wishing to see how the present-day Jewish community has managed to retain some of its ancient traditions, while adjusting to modern living. Its short, narrow streets ...

- Ancient Rome - This City is well over 2,000 years old and used to rule over an Empire almost as large as the U.S. The Forum is the market area where the Romans used to go not only to do their ordinary shopping, but also to discuss business and politics. Ample remains of several temples and buildings are still visible today; among them, the famed Arch of Constantine. Close by stands what is undoubtedly the best known of all Roman antiquities, the Colosseum. The mere name of this architectural marvel conjures up images of fierce combats among gladiators and between gladiators and wild animals (scenes from the movie "The Gladiator" were supposed to be set in this very place), as well as the slaying of Christians mauled by wild beasts. Circus Maximus, the arena used for chariot races (remember Ben Hur?), Piazza Navona, originally a stadium built by Emperor ...

- Trastevere - In people's minds the name of Rome is immediately associated with the Colosseum and St. Peter's Basilica. But there is a lot more to the Eternal City than you can imagine. Trastevere, for instance. A quaint, old suburb located on the west bank of the River Tiber, this is probably the most characteristic area of the whole city. Its narrow, cobbled streets are busy, day and night, with a bustling population of craftsmen, shopkeepers and typical local characters who address each other in a unique jargon - the only survivor and direct descendant of the old Roman dialect - and gesticulate to each other's content and to the visitors' delight. Here, too, however, you can admire splendid churches, such as 12th Century Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria della Scala or San Francesco a Ripa, as well as a beautiful 15th Century bridge (Ponte Sisto) ...

- Bridges of Rome - When you think of Rome you cannot help associating it with the river running through it: the Tiber. But a river inside a city also means bridges and the ancient Romans were known for their feats of engineering. Bridges were one of their specialties, as you will discover from a visit to some of the most historically significant bridges existing in Rome. No doubt the best-known bridge  is Ponte Milvio that was built in 207 BC and is the oldest stone bridge in the city. In antiquity its fame derived from the fact that Emperor Constantine in a hard-fought battle engaged near this bridge in 312 AD defeated his rival Maxentius and, in fulfillment of an earlier vow, adopted the cross as his symbol and put an end to persecutions against Christians. Equally significant are Ponte Sant'Angelo (called Pons Aelius when it was built in 136 AD u ...

- Roman Catacombs - Catacombs have always been somewhat mysterious in the minds of many. The movie industry and literature have helped create the impression that these were actually hiding places where Christians would go to escape persecutions by Roman Emperors. In actual fact, catacombs were simply underground burial grounds that Christians began to use from the 2nd century A.D. Occasionally, masses were celebrated there during the persecutions, but no one ever lived in there. With the spread of Christianity, masses and other religious services were held out in the open and, when the mortal remains of saints or martyrs were transferred to ordinary churches, catacombs became unimportant and were gradually forgotten. Starting from the 17th century, efforts have been made to identify the location of catacombs and to unearth them. As a result, all major C ...